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. 2006 Feb;15(1):16-20.

Bullying interventions: a binocular perspective

Debra J Pepler  1
Affiliations

Bullying interventions: a binocular perspective

Debra J Pepler. J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006 Feb.

Abstract
in English, French

Introduction: Bullying is a complex relationship problem associated with many psychosocial difficulties for children who bully, as well as those who are victimized. A recent international volume of school-based bullying programs revealed modest effectiveness, highlighting the need to refine interventions using research on developmental profiles of children who bully and those who are victimized, as well as on their relationships.

Method: Based on developmental-systemic theory, a research review was conducted on individual and relationship risk factors associated with bullying and being victimized.

Results: The review led to the proposal of two organizing principles for interventions: Scaffolding and Social Architecture. Scaffolding focuses on providing tailored and dynamic supports for the needs of individual children who bully or who are victimized. Social architecture requires that adults focus on the social dynamics of children's groups and create social contexts that promote positive peer interactions and dissipate contexts that foster negative interactions.

Conclusion: Interventions for bullying require a combination of scaffolding and social architecture to provide comprehensive supports and to change the social dynamics that enable bullying. With an empirically derived, comprehensive perspective, we may move closer to reducing the burden of these relationship problems in the lives of children and youth.

Introduction: Le problème de l’intimidation en milieu scolaire provient de problèmes complexes, de difficultés psychosociales, tant chez l’agresseur que chez la victime. À ce chapitre, un livre récent qui s’est penché sur cette question en faisant un survol de plusieurs pays conclut que nombre de programmes sont peu efficaces, d’où le besoin d’améliorer les interventions, et ce à partir de recherches sur les profils de ces enfants agresseurs et agressés ainsi que sur leur fonctionnement réciproque.

Méthodologie: Nous avons effectué, à partir de théories systémiques et développementales, une recherche sur les facteurs de risque individuels et relationnels associés à l’un et l’autre groupe d’enfants.

Résultats: Cette étude nous a conduit à proposer deux principes-clé dans l’élaboration d’interventions: échafaudage et architecture sociale. L’échafaudage s’occupe des besoins spécifiques et de la dynamique de l’enfant agresseur ou agressé. L’architecture sociale voit à ce que les adultes se préoccupent de la dynamique sociale des groupes d’enfants tout en créant un environnement susceptible de favoriser une interaction positive entre pairs et en annihilant tout ce qui conduit à une interaction négative.

Conclusion: Une combinaison d’échafaudage et d’architecture sociale est nécessaire à la création de programmes qui pourront contrer la violence des uns par rapport aux autres. C’est dans cette perspective empirique, bimodale, que nous pourrons influencer et réduire ces problèmes relationnels, fardeau réel pour ces enfants et adolescents.

Keywords: bullying; children’s mental health; interventions; victimization.

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